And I found more

More kittens...which make me feel sad, angered, frustrated, pissed, outraged, depressed, happy, overwhelmed. Here's the story.

I got home from work, walked to check the mailbox and on my way to the house I took a peak at my neighbor's house where all the ferals hang out. I did a double take when I thought I saw a kitten over there. I walked a little closer and sure enough there was a little kitty on a table outside his garage, and another one under his tractor. I knew my neighbor had gotten home just after I had pulled into my driveway so I wasn't sure what to do.(i.e. didn't want him catching me there)
(for a background on this situation with the ferals please check this thread: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...cared+neighbor
Yes, I have TNR'd 4 of the adults, but it is hard to catch them all at once).
So my first instinct was to go get the kitties. I walked over onto his property, 4 adults and one kitten ran off scared but the kitty on the table stayed. I grabbed him and took him inside to my bathtub. Since I knew there was at least 1 more, I took a quick walk around the neighborhood looking to see where they ran. As I got back to my house I saw the other kitten in his tractor. I walked over to get it (I already had a towel in my hand to protect me and the kit ) and noticed 2 more!! So I grabbed all 3 kittens and ran back to my house!

These guys are about 4-5 weeks old. These are my 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th (+1 that I am not sure where came from)feral kitties since November. I currently still have 1 from the 7 day olds I found in April and 1 that I got last week when I heard about someone finding a kitten they didn't know what to do with. I am so sick of people's (or in this case one guy's) irresponsibility and stupidity causing problems for these poor cats and kittens. I am so shaken up right now, I just want to cry, scream and punch something. This guys actually thinks it's funny that they always have kittens! Then he goes and dumps them somewhere. I can only be thankful these kittens were still here. Here I go again socializing more feral kitties (don't get me wrong, I love doing it) and trying to find a rescue who will help me with their healthcare and getting adopted.
SO now I have 4 feral 5 week olds, two 13 week olds (one we are keeping), 1 10 week old half socialized, and my own cat and dog in a small house that we are remodeling.

The next TNR clinic is the 13th, so I PRAY so hard that I will catch the remaining cats so at least this colony will be healthier, happier and not reproducing like crazy!

Now off to start socializing these poor frightened kittens.

Just spent some time with them sitting in the bathtub and singing to them. One of them (the first I grabbed) is the only one I can hold and actually rolled over so I could pet his stomach! The other three just hiss, spit and try to attack. They are all beautiful kitties (brown tabby & white, 2 brown tabbies, and 1 cream point (?i think) and they look like DMH.

I was able to pet 3 this morning!!

2 of them still hissed when I was petting them, one was fine and the other kitty I can't get close to yet as he/she was spitting and hissing just at the sound of my voice!

I am glad I have a long 3 day weekend to spend with them.

Awww, that's great that they're starting to trust you!

I took in four feral kittens a few weeks ago from a neighbor that was going to send them to the local kill shelter. The people socialized the kitten they wanted to keep but not the rest of the kittens. Now two out of the four won't leave me alone! The other two are still scared but are coming around slowly.

Originally Posted by bnwalker2

Awww, that's great that they're starting to trust you!

I took in four feral kittens a few weeks ago from a neighbor that was going to send them to the local kill shelter. The people socialized the kitten they wanted to keep but not the rest of the kittens. Now two out of the four won't leave me alone!

The other two are still scared but are coming around slowly.

Click to expand...

Yes, that's the great thing about getting the kittens so young...they start coming around REALLY fast! In just 12 hours I went from petting 1 to being able to pet 3! Although it's funny, the 4th one wouldn't let em get near it but when he wasn't looking I touched his head...he turned and hissed at my hand but didn't attack...and he ended up eating food from my hand while still hissing,lol!!

That's awesome you took the kitties in and they becoming very lovey!! The other 2 will come around soon

I love the fact that you do this. I would love to have the experience one time, but not at the expense of a poor kitten losing its mum too early. I wish you all the best in your efforts. Please keep us posted on your progress.

Thanks, KK2!! I just got home and nothing new to report yet! Oh, except...yesterday and today they were hiding in a small crack between the litterbox and the edge of the tub and when I got home today they were out in the 'open' of the tub!!! It's the small progresses that count and make you happy!

Well I managed to sneak some pics of them while I was sitting the the bathroom with them!!

I've only names 1 so far...Shiloh, the smallest one. I have NO idea where that name came from, it just randomly popped in my head!


Shiloh




the brown tabby is the one I can't touch yet










chowing down

Oh sweet. The white one looks ready for trouble.
They come around fast. People are crazy in their beliefs. Someone told me to take Lucia out to the woods and let nature take care of her. Nice.
You are doing great and I am sure these will get adopted quickly.

awwww How sweet they are and how wonderful of you to do this.

They look wonderful, and I love the name Shiloh. My greatest challenge feral kitten was named Shiloh, nicknamed Pie (don't know why) and by all rights she should have been over the rainbow a couple of times. Turned out to be an incredible fighter for life and a great snuggler. She just recently died of cancer, but had a long life (13 years) in spite of numerous health issues that seemed to plague her throughout her life. She is my main reason I continue to work with ferals and strays. Having cats is a wonderful experience, but bringing a feral or stray into a loving home is the most amazing experience and worth every minute of your time. I love being a part of making a difference in a ferals world, even if I lose one, it had a chance and it left feeling loved. Mostly, I love the feeling of finding a cat a forever home and bringing happiness to that person or family, not to mention that cats life.

Thanks for the posts! It always feels nice to have people's support, especially when pretty much all my friends and family don't understand why I do this, and so I get negative comments and looks from them!

The kitties are really starting to come around! Sandy and Shiloh(the 2 little ones) have been mewing for me and purring for the past few days! Seiko just started doing the same thing yesterday! Stormy is still very weary of me, but as of last night I could touch him for a few seconds before he got fed up with it. So still can't really hold any of them except the little ones, and those only for a very short time.

The rescue I work with has agreed to take them into the rescue (as long as I foster, of course!) so in 2 weeks they will get FIV/FeLV tested and also get their first vaccines! I am so excited that they will get proper vet care and a great shot at adoption!

The last of the kittens that I raised since 7 days old got adopted yesterday!!!!

Wow! I so admire people like you who can take in these little sweet-hearts and give them a chance for a better life! I would love to do that, too, but I don't think our finances would ever allow for more than the three kittens we already own. Keep up the good work!

Originally Posted by Cocoa Cream

Wow! I so admire people like you who can take in these little sweet-hearts and give them a chance for a better life! I would love to do that, too, but I don't think our finances would ever allow for more than the three kittens we already own. Keep up the good work!

Click to expand...

Thanks! Oh, well we actually do NOT have any extra finances, lol! I found a GREAT rescue that will pretty much take in any animal, (whereas most rescues here will not take any animal "off the street" and only from animal services) so we are blessed to be able to work with them. In turn for them helping us with all the cats I find I also foster other animals that need fostering for them!

Oh, and my DH aunt gives me Petsmart gift cards to help out with costs too! !


****** OK, GOOD LUCK Vibes needed!!!******

This week I will be picking up traps and will trap the ferals for TNR this weekend! I have done this twice so far and have only trapped 2 cats each time! I believe there are 4-5 cats left in this colony that need to be TNR'd! I really want to trap them all so they can all be taken care of and so there won't be anymore kittens (even though I love the kittens oh so much).

So good luck that I can trap the remaining cats!!

Just wanted to update. Shiloh died on Saturday night. I am heartbroken. He was the sweetest, cutest little kitten I have rescued yet. We think he had some congenital disorder that caused it. Shiloh had stopped growing a couple of weeks ago and was starting to get very frail. He was eating great and even kept playing, but was not growing or putting on weight at all. I brought him to the vet 2 times and they couldn't find anything wrong with him, although he was on medicine for intestinal worms when he died.

Before I went to bed on Saturday night, I knew that was the last time I would see sweet Shiloh alive. I just had a feeling, and he was just different that night. He was calm, not fatigued, just calm. A couple of times he took a few deep breaths and it looked like he was struggling to breathe. When I picked him up he seemed so frail that he would break if I grabbed him too hard. Saturday night I cuddled with him on the couch, so he would be very loved his last night. He just purred the whole time. When I put him away for the night I told him I loved him and left the room. Sunday morning I was scared to get out of bed and go in the room. Once I got up all I heard was silence...Shiloh always meowed like crazy when he heard me get up. That's when I knew for sure he had passed. When I finally had the strength to go in the room, he was in the same spot I had left him. I believe he passed soon after I set him in there.

RIP Shiloh- June1 2008- July 27 2008


On a happy note, his 3 siblings are doing well and are very socialized now and Two other fosters of mine were adopted yesterday.

Thanks for listening.

I'm sorry to hear about Shiloh. Thank you so much for letting him know love while he was here, and it's wonderful what you are doing for all of these poor babies. They are blessed to have you, and you them.

I'm so very sorry for your loss.
Rest In Peace, sweet baby.
He went to the Bridge knowing that he was loved very much.

Oh, gosh, I'm sorry about Shiloh. How very sad. If I were closer to you, I'd love to help! There is actually a man who posted on Craigslist who is willing to pay someone to take care of an abandoned queen. Isn't that great? Most people have adoption fees. He wants this cat to be well-cared-for. I think I'll go email him. I won't accept the $ though. We have a local rescue who will pay for everything, as long as I foster.

Thanks for the support. It is getting easier by the day. Now I can think and talk about him without getting extremely upset and crying.

Well the 3 other kittens are doing great. They are SO beautiful. They should be getting their second boosters and s/n next week and then will go up for adoption the following weekend!!

Sunday I had 2 kittens get adopted, one of which was given to me by a lady who works out where I work. She happened to mention to me one day that she found a kitten and didn't know what to do with it. Of course I told her I rescue kittens and would be glad to take it!(as long as the rescue agreed as well!). Well yesterday I got a call at work from the same lady...her daughters found 2 kittens in a sewer! One jumped out but the other kitten was too scared to move. She said the first person she thought of to call was me (lol). So now I have another kitten. He is about 7 weeks old, red tabby...very pretty and very sweet. I named him Augustus.

That makes 5 current kitten fosters in our house, lol...three 8 week olds, one 7 week old, one 5 week old. I will do my best for them for Shiloh.

Well, this time last week I had 7 kittens. By Sunday I had 4 after 2 got adopted and 1 passed. This morning I had 5 kittens, and in2 hours I will be back at 7. LOL

DH is going to kill me! He was happy our numbers were starting to go down and we would be kitten free soon. But I can't just say NO to helping these kitties in need! The lady's daughter found 2 more today so she is dropping them off with me soon. She said one looked pretty weak so I hope that isn't serious. The new ones are already very friendly! I will try to get some pics up soon, until then...

Here is a thread I just posted with some pics
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=173049